Saignelégier

Saignelégier

State :	Switzerland Switzerland
Canton :	Canton of Jura Law (JU)
District :	Franches-Montagnesw
BFS no. :	6757i1 f3 f4
Postal code :	2350 Saignelégier 2353 Les Pommerats 2354 Goumois
Coordinates :	566.59 thousand / 234098 coordinates: 47 ° 15 '25 " N , 6 ° 59' 50" O ; CH1903: 566,590 / 23409847.256945 6.997234 978
Height :	978 m above sea level M.
Height range :	476-1091 m above sea level M.
Area :	31.67 km²
Residents:	2609 (December 31, 2018)
Population density :	82 inhabitants per km²
Website:	www.saignelegier.ch
Saignelégier
Location of the municipality
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Saignelégier is a municipality in the district of Franches-Montagnes in the canton of Jura in Switzerland . The former German name Sankt Leodegar is no longer used today.

On January 1, 2009, the previously independent municipalities of Goumois and Les Pommerats merged with Saignelégier.

geography

Saignelégier is at 978 m above sea level. M. , 22 kilometers northeast of La Chaux-de-Fonds (linear distance ). The place with a slightly urban character extends to a broad saddle of the Jura plateau of northern Freiberge (French Freiberge ), at the edge of the deep valley of the Doubs .

The area of the 11.7 km² municipal area comprises a section of the gently undulating plateau of the Plateaujura, on which boggy, mostly above-ground drainage-free depressions alternate with limestone peaks . In the west, the municipal area near Derrière le Cras extends to the edge of the steep drop into the Doubstal. The northern boundary is the height of the Haut Bémont ( 1075 m above sea level ). To the southeast, the area extends over the extensive Jura pastures of the Freiberg mountains with large spruce trees standing individually or in groups, as well as forest areas in between, to the depression of the La Tourbière peat bog . The highest point of the municipality is at 1088 m above sea level. M. at the level of the Chaumont . The two moor lakes, Étang de la Gruère and Étang des Royes, are located in the depressions . In 1997, 9% of the municipal area was in settlements, 32% in forests and woodland, 56% in agriculture and a little less than 3% was unproductive land.

Saignelégier includes the hamlets of Les Cerlatez ( 1003 m above sea level ), La Theurre ( 1012 m above sea level ) and Le Chaumont ( 1044 m above sea level ), all located on the plateau of the Freiberg mountains and well above the Juraweiden scattered numerous individual farms. Neighboring municipalities of Saignelégier are Soubey , Les Enfers , Le Bémont , La Chaux-des-Breuleux , Muriaux and Le Noirmont in the canton of Jura, Tramelan in the canton of Bern and the French municipalities of Charmauvillers , Goumois , Fessevillers and Indevillers .

population

Population development
year	Residents
1850	754
1900	1410
1930	1374
1960	1636
1980	1824
1990	1911
2000	2145

With 2609 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2018), Saignelégier is the largest town in the Franches-Montagnes district in terms of population and is also one of the largest municipalities in the canton of Jura. 91.4% of the residents are French-speaking, 3.2% German-speaking and 0.9% Italian-speaking (as of 2000). The population of Saignelégier recorded significant growth rates in the second half of the 19th century. As one of the few parishes in the district, the parish has seen continuous growth since 1950.

economy

The mainstream of Saignelégier's working life shifted from agriculture to industry in the course of the 19th century . The watch industry only gradually gained importance at the beginning of the 20th century. Today there are two industrial and commercial zones on the outskirts of the village, including some companies in the manufacture of clocks and watch cases in particular (e.g. Aerowatch ). The most important employer is the watch company Maurice Lacroix . The mechanical workshops also offer numerous jobs. Tête de Moine , an important type of cheese in the region, is produced in a cheese dairy . The Brasserie des Franches Montagnes BFM has also gained popularity with its innovative types of beer. A large number of workers work in the service sector, especially in administration. Saignelégier is the seat of the district court, the district hospital and the cantonal social security office.

However, the hamlets are still dominated by agriculture and focused on dairy farming and cattle breeding .

Healthcare

Saignelégier has a public hospital with 24-hour emergency care. It is part of the hospital network of the Hôpital du Jura.

Culture and tourism

Saignelégier is an important center of summer and winter tourism in the Franches-Montagnes. Since 1985 it has had a large leisure center with a swimming pool, sports halls, conference rooms, an ice rink and a hotel.

Every year on the second Sunday in August the Marché-Concours national de chevaux , a national horse market, takes place in Saignelégier . This festival attracts thousands of visitors from regions far outside the canton of Jura.

traffic

Railway Station (1980)

The community is very well developed in terms of transport. It is located at the crossroads of the main roads from Delémont to La Chaux-de-Fonds and from Tavannes to the Goumois border crossing . On December 7, 1892, the Saignelégier – La Chaux-de-Fonds railway , a predecessor of the Chemins de fer du Jura , opened. The inauguration of the continuation of the route through the Régional Saignelégier – Glovelier took place on May 21, 1904. The Postbus courses from Saignelégier to Glovelier and from Tramelan via Saignelégier to Goumois ensure the fine distribution in public transport .

history

Aerial photo (1955)

In 1382 the village was first mentioned under the name of Sonnelegilier . Thanks to its location at an important intersection of the Franches-Montagnes, Saignelégier soon developed into an important trading center. The village belonged to the dominion of Freiberge, which was subordinate to the Principality of Basel . In the 17th century it became the residence of the bailiffs of this lordship, which was previously administered from Schloss Spiegelberg near Muriaux . From 1793 to 1815 Saignelégier belonged to France and was initially part of the Département du Mont-Terrible , from 1800 connected to the Département Haut-Rhin . As a result of the decision of the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the place came to the Canton of Bern and became the capital of the Franches-Montagnes district. On January 1, 1979, Saignelégier came to the newly founded Canton of Jura. After the voters approved the merger proposal in June 2007, Saignelégier, Les Pommerats and Goumois have merged with effect from January 1, 2009 to form the new municipality of Saignelégier.

Personalities

Antonio Erba (born July 19, 1914 in Locarno; † April 7, 1986 in Saignelégier), Ticino painter, politician
Zouc ; actually Isabelle von Allmen (* 1950 in Saignelégier), actress and cabaret artist

Attractions

The center of the village is the parish church of Notre-Dame de l'Assomption, which was built in the neo-baroque style 1927-28. It contains a richly decorated main altar from the first half of the 18th century, which comes from the Bellelay monastery . Saignelégier belonged to the parish of Montfaucon , although a first chapel was built in the village as early as 1397. Saignelégier achieved its ecclesiastical independence in 1629 with the construction of the first church. Also in the center of the village is the defiant building of the former castle bailiwick, a building from the 17th century with a hipped roof and a prison tower added in 1775.

The hamlet of Les Cerlatez has preserved six characteristic Freiberg Jura farmhouses with whitewashed facades from the 17th and 18th centuries. The living rooms, work rooms and stables are all united under a large roof, which provides the region with the smallest possible attack surface against the harsh winds.

The moor lake Étang de la Gruère , about 4 km southeast of Saignelégier , which has been under nature protection since 1963, is an important natural attraction .